I Know What Sen. Tom Coburn Did Last Summer

Most of the politicians who have been offering their feedback from the August recess has been from the Democrat Party and – I’m sure this will surprise no one – most of it has been negative. You’ve heard aboot the “angry mobs” and heard Democrats all people who disagree with them “Un-American.” All these angry Un-Americans, who would read the bill the question their congressman on it, made it hard for the Democrats to lie.

They make it sound like all any of the tens of thousands of people who showed up for these protests had to say was what Glen Beck told them to (because, as we both no, if you have a different opinion than a liberal it’s because you can’t think for yourself). But a lot of the people there were concerned citizens who are worried aboot the rapidly growing government who seems to like to spend money they don’t have.

Unless, of course, it was only the voters of Oklahoma who spoke to Sen. Tom Coburn. What he learned from the voters was that, among others things, don’t believe the White House claim that we’ll save money by spending more. So sayeth my favourite Senator (yes, I’m a big enough dork to have one)…

I spoke with thousands of voters at town-hall meetings this summer. What I gathered from them is that it’s not just the proposed overhaul of health care that has them upset. Many also expressed a sense of betrayal. In spite of their hope for change, it still appears that the government in Washington is run for its own benefit and the benefit of special interests—not for the benefit of the American people. The folks I met with also don’t trust politicians in Washington to address mounting long-term challenges to our economy….

Congress has shown no sign of departing from the status quo. Spending bills continue to grow faster than the rate of inflation as members still earmark funds for special projects for parochial interests. The most recent appropriations bill to pass the Senate, the Agriculture Department bill, included a 15% spending increase over the previous year’s bill, which itself was a 21% spending increase over the preceding year. In today’s economy, such spending increases make Americans realize that the political class isn’t even close to getting it…

Voters understand that our economic challenges hardly started with George W. Bush, and that at some point the administration has to stop blaming the last guy in the Oval Office and start providing real solutions. America is facing an economic reckoning because the cornerstone programs of the welfare state—Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security—will soon be bankrupt and will likely require massive tax increases to stay afloat.

No word of if these voters were bused in from out of state (the way the thugs in the labor unions bussed people in), astroturfing (like Obama’s government run campaign organization, “Organizing for America”), or were paid to be there by the health insurance lobby (the same way ObamaCare supporters were getting paid up to $15 an hour). Personally, I’m still waiting for my check from the insurance lobby.

Then again, the voters Sen. Coburn heard from can just be the same voters who have been speaking up all throughout the county for the past month, and they could be expressing honest and legitimate concerns.